Chesterfield Township to have new office 3.12

Chesterfield Township voters will walk into a new township hall when they cast votes in the November election.

Township trustees recently awarded a construction bid for a new township office and garage, and work is expected to get underway this month, weather permitting.

The existing garage will be torn down and the new building will go up in that location. When the new office is ready for use, the old hall—formerly the Chesterfield Grange—will be demolished.

Reaching the point of construction was a long journey, explained township clerk Tina Jones.

Township board members have known for several years that the hall would have to be brought up to code or the Fulton County Board of Elections would take away the voting precinct. No other building in the township could meet the requirements as a voting location.

Trustees first explored renovating the existing hall, Jones said, but costs were prohibitive. They next looked at costs for constructing a new building that would include space for the storage and maintenance of township equipment.

Tax estate settlements have been directed to a building fund for the past five years and in 2006, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) of $60,000 was obtained. Low-to-moderate income designation was needed for the grant application and the township qualified based on the 2000 census.

Additional CDBG funds were not available due to changes in grant guidelines, but the board kept looking for funding sources.

Trustees learned that gasoline tax funds could be used for the garage portion of the project. In addition, CDBG funds were obtained for a road project in 2008 and this freed up some funds for the new garage.

Finally, the entire cost of the project was covered—approximately $221,520—and bids were let. Midwest Contracting, Inc., of Holland, Ohio, was awarded the job.

TRUSTEE—Following the death of veteran trustee Jerry Bates in October 2007, the board had 30 days to fill his unexpired term.

Clark Emmons was contacted by trustees Paul Holman and Jim Stubbins about filling out the term. Emmons had previously expressed interest in the job by running unsuccessfully for office in 2005. Clark accepted the offer and was sworn into office in November. Clark will serve a two-year term that started Jan. 1, 2008.

“Jerry Bates gave much time and energy to Chesterfield Township and its roads,” Jones said. “His experience and knowledge of roads will be missed.”